HATTIESBURG
--
In an effort to explore the best, most efficient food service opportunities
for its students, faculty and staff, The University of Southern
Mississippi will be entertaining proposals from independent food
providers this week on the Hattiesburg campus.

Four companies
- Sodexho, Chartwells, Valley and ARAMARK - will be guests at the
university from Feb. 18-20. After taking a tour of the food service
facilities and attending a mandatory conference from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
in the Commons, Room C, on Wednesday, the companies will be assigned
"home bases" on campus. From these bases, the different
food service providers will be able to conduct freelance walkabouts.

Each company
will also participate in focus-group meetings on Thursday to gather
information from students, faculty and staff. These sessions, scheduled
to last from 9 a.m.-2:50 p.m. in the Commons, Rooms A and C, will
be for the purpose of better understanding the food service needs
of the university community - especially the students.

"For the
university to have the most effective, efficient and quality food
service program possible, we've asked these companies to come to
our campus and take a look at what's being done, and see if it can
be done any better," said evaluation team member Sid Gonsoulin,
associate vice president for student affairs.

"We clearly
understand that we have an outstanding program within our own operation
at Southern Miss Food Services, as well as an outstanding product.
We may discover that the best program is the one we already have,
but we won't know that until we see what these companies can bring
to the table."

Companies will
also conduct freelance walkabouts and informal meetings on Friday
from 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

"These
companies are coming here to learn as much as possible about the
university and current food services program and its practices from
university (food services) employees as well as students, faculty
and (other) staff. They intend to meet with these groups to understand
their needs relative to dining services," Gonsoulin said.

The university
expects to complete the negotiation and evaluation process by the
end of May.

For more information,
contact Sid Gonsoulin at (601) 266-5767.

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URL for this page is http://www.usm.edu/pr/prnews/feb04/foodserv04.htm
April 20, 2004 4:09 PM